A Matter of Trust
by Elyria7
Summary: This story was inspired by another original work. Please read disclaimer. When Jonas finds pictures on Daniel's desk that no one was ever meant to see, it turns out they could be the one thing that can close the gap between him and Jack. Friendship fic.


_**Double Disclaimer**__**: This story was inspired by a story written by Eleri McCleod called **__**A Picture Can Say**__**. I have copied all of her credits below should you want to find the original story on . The beginning of the story in all italics is completely hers and I meant no disrespect by borrowing it. I loved her story, it was very well written and I think she captured Jack's emotional turmoil perfectly. But after reading it, I found I couldn't get certain details out of my head, and all of a sudden this plot bunny with a 2x4 attacked. While I think the original story incorporated Jonas Quinn very well, I found it interesting that a man from a world that has been torn apart by war for centuries was that innocent to torture. And the plot thickened.**_

_**My story is rated T as well for implied torture and swearing, provided by Jack of course. I don't own any of the characters, and this was written for pleasure, no profit was made.**_

_**Original Story info:**_

_TITLE: A Picture Can Say..._

_AUTHOR: Eleri McCleod_

_RATING: T_

_CONTENT WARNING: Implied torture_

_CATEGORY: H/C, Angst, Drama_

_SPOILERS: Shades of Grey and A Matter of Time primarily, set during season 6 so anything during and leading up to is fair game._

_SUMMARY: Jonas finds something not meant for him to find. Fic challenge from Karen (Villa)._

_ARCHIVE: Jackfic, SJD, Heliopolis, any others please let me know._

_DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. No copyright infringement is intended._

_(c) Eleri McCleod, September 2003 – March 2005_

_XXXXXXXX_

_"Damn."_

_The quiet oath was the only sound in the room as Jonas Quinn stared down at the files and papers now scattered over the floor. All he'd done was pick up the top one and like Humpty-Dumpty they'd all come crashing down._

_Heaving a sigh, he knelt before the chaos, idly wondering if he'd returned Cassie's book of children's rhymes. She'd loaned it to him as a joke, never thinking he'd actually read it. But he'd enjoyed them. He'd enjoyed learning the things the humans of Earth taught their children._

_Working quickly to stack the files and papers into some semblance of order, even if on the floor, he couldn't help but smile and shake his head. Doctor Jackson had certainly never been accused of being organized. The files he was currently wading through were four years old and had never been moved from their place on the long table in what was now Jonas's office._

_He'd decided to go through them a few weeks ago and get them filed into an order he could understand. The enormity of the task hadn't even fazed him. He had nothing else to do with his spare time. Unfortunately, the work had been slow going. Most of the files were copies of reports Doctor Jackson had sent up to General Hammond or notes on various worlds and artifacts. Some had been originals, things Jonas had seen for the first time while sifting painstakingly through the papers._

_Like the one currently in his hand. The planet's designation was familiar, but he'd never seen that particular report about it. Setting it off to the side with the others that had caught his attention he paused, a frown creasing his face. What was that?_

_A light brown envelope sat innocently among the manila folders and white papers. Sifting quickly through the remaining mess covering the floor, he found no others like it. He picked it up curiously, examining the outside. It had been opened, he saw, the flap slightly ragged on one end. Addressed to Doctor Jackson, there were no other markings on the front._

_With the slightest hint of trepidation, he slid his hand inside to feel the slickness of photographs. Why would Doctor Jackson leave pictures from a mission in an envelope instead of inside the corresponding file? Or were they personal photos? Ones someone else had sent him that he'd forgotten about?_

_The frown put deep wrinkles in his forehead as he stared at the first shot, unable to make sense of it. It looked like a person lying on its side on a dirt surface, back pressed tight to a wooden wall, but that couldn't be right. No human looked like that..._

_Nausea bubbled into his throat as his mind finally began to make sense of the vision before him. Gut clenching, his free hand came up to rub at his chest unconsciously._ "No!" he moaned as he clutched the pictures tightly and rubbed his eyes. He wasn't going to go there. He couldn't go there. But it was too late, all the memories that he kept safely locked in the darkest corner of his exceptional mind burst free like nothing had been holding them back. Jonas knew he was in trouble when the smells came first, then the screaming that no one else could hear but him. He instinctively crawled into the darkest corner of the office and curled himself into a tight ball. Maybe this time they wouldn't find him…

Jack whistled softly as he wandered down the hall toward Daniel's…Jonas' office to pick up the Kelownan for lunch before the briefing on their next mission. It had been Sam's idea that one of them go and get Jonas to make him eat after it became apparent that his eating habits were startlingly similar to his predecessor. Namely, he forgot a lot of the time to eat meals, and would graze on whatever he could find in the office. Powerbars and grapes do not a wholesome diet make. Jack had grudgingly agreed to play his part, and he really was trying to do his best to accept Jonas now that he was a part of SG-1, but it was so damned hard. Jonas, while brilliant, was still an unknown factor in O'Neill's book, and thus to be treated with caution.

The door to the office was open so Jack walked in and knocked lightly on the door frame. That's odd, he thought as he found the front office empty. Usually Jonas was camped at his desk right by the door reading at least three things at once. "Jonas? Lunchtime?" Jack froze three steps into the office. Had he just heard a moan? Instantly alert as years of black-ops training slid into place he scanned the room with new eyes, threat assessing. Hearing the moan again, Jack eased around one of the many bookshelves in the room to the darkest corner of the office. There was Jonas tucked into the smallest corner, braced with his back against the wall and staring at…nothing. "Shit! Jonas!" Jack exclaimed as he ran and kneeled in front of the young man. What the hell was going on with the alien? Jack refrained from touching Jonas, not knowing if he was injured or ill. "Jonas! Answer me!" Jonas continued to look through him, his skin a pasty grey with sweat beaded on his forehead and running down his neck. If Jack didn't know any better the kid looked terrified. Then Jonas spoke, uttering one single sentence that broke Jack's heart and brought bile to his mouth faster than he had ever thought possible.

"J-Jonas Quinn, Scientist, Kelowna, 99-9281-29…"

Jack fought his own queasiness as he looked around frantically for what had triggered this. He knew exactly what was happening to Jonas, he just didn't know what had set him off. Then he spotted the papers clutched against Jonas' chest. Moving slowly, he gently placed a hand on Jonas' knee, ready to spring back if met with violent resistance. Jonas choked out a strangled sob, clenched his eyes shut and repeated the foul sentence. Jack gently peeled what turned out to be photographs from Jonas' sweaty grasp. One glimpse of them and Jack really did have to throw up. Fortunately he made it to the wastebasket before unceremoniously emptying the meager contents of his stomach. How the hell did Jonas get those? His mind reeled. It didn't matter, what mattered now was that he had a choice. Did he do what he was supposed to do, which would be to notify medical and have the kids butt hauled to the infirmary…or did he do what he knew the kid needed. "Shit." He spit one more time in the wastebasket, shoved the pictures into one of the many pockets of his cargo pants, and tried to mentally prepare himself for the coming ordeal.

Jack wiped his mouth and walked slowly over to Jonas and crouched in front of him, ignoring the protest from his knees. Jonas was still lost in his own personal hell, Jack could tell. His green eyes were staring off into the distance, his pupils blown to dramatic proportions. Jack briefly considered slapping the Kelownan, but dismissed the thought just as quickly. Violence wouldn't pull Jonas out of this, if anything, it might push him deeper. He just had to get him out of here, away from these grey institutional walls. Reaching out slowly he grasped Jonas wrists. When he met no resistance he slowly pulled Jonas to his feet. This in itself was no small accomplishment. Had he noticed before how solidly the young man was built? Jonas didn't say anything and now stood trembling in the corner, teeth chattering. Jack released one of his wrists, turned and slung Jonas' arm across his shoulders and wrapped his other arm around the alien's waist. He prayed that this would work, as he slowly began to lead the young man out of the office and down the corridors to the elevators.

Stopping only briefly at one of the phones in the hallway to call Sam's office and let her know that he and Jonas were headed topside and he would explain everything later, he responded to her concerned queries with a brusque "not now Carter, gotta go." So far his plan was working. Jonas was allowing him to lead him around, but still had given no indication that he knew where he was or who Jack was. Jack awkwardly leaned them both against the elevator doors and swiped his ID badge. Whichever gods were watching over SG-1 at this point smiled upon Jack because when the doors opened there was no one inside. He unceremoniously shoved Jonas in and pushed the button for the top floor. The long ride to the top was punctuated by Jonas' quavering breaths and Jack's teeth grinding as he watched the lights slowly approach the top floor. Why the hell were they buried so deep in the mountain anyways? As they finally approached the top, he slung Jonas' arm across his shoulders once more and led him out to the waiting SF's.

To their credit they snapped to attention immediately even though he and Jonas were both technically out of uniform in just their black tees, BDU pants and boots. "Um, sir, isn't he not allowed…"

"Typically no, he's not allowed off base." Jack snapped. "But right now, we both just need to get outside. I will be with him the entire time, and you can send someone to stand guard, but he cannot be within hearing distance, do you understand me Sergeant?"

The Tech-Sergeant saluted smartly and gave a resounding "Yes Sir!" The remaining SF's stood aside as Jack guided Jonas out of the tunnel and around the side to the path he knew led to a small clearing with a view of the valley. He hoped the fresh mountain air was starting to affect Jonas because it felt like he wasn't leaning on him quite as hard as before, and the quavering in his muscles seemed to be lessening.

By the time they made it to the clearing Jonas was definitely coming back to himself. Jack kept the young man pulled tightly against his side though; knowing right now that the touch was probably grounding him. "Sir…Sir where are we?" came the dazed question from his right. "We're almost there Jonas, just a little further." Jonas remained silent for once, a testament to how abnormal the situation was. Under any other circumstance Jack knew he would have been bombarded with questions, starting with the main one of "why am I outside?" Jack crossed the clearing and sat Jonas on one of the benches. He walked a few steps away from the kid to catch his breath and gather his scattered thoughts. He did grin and turn to the young man when the question, barely whispered finally came.

"Sir, why am I outside?"

"You're outside, because we both needed to get away from those walls."Jack replied. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and gave Jonas a quick glance before looking away again. Dammit, he was no good at this, why hadn't he just called medical. _Because_, his snarky half commented snidely, _you might be the only one who truly understands, who knows what he needs_. Jonas was looking better, he was still breathing quickly, but he had some color in his cheeks, and he was actually looking at Jack instead of through him. In that one quick glance Jack could see Jonas trying to pull himself together, to get his shields back in place.

Now that they were both breathing a little more evenly and collecting themselves, Jack wondered _how could I have missed __this__? Because you didn't want to know_ the evil little voice remarked darkly. _Have you even looked at his initial physical and testing yet?_ Jack sighed and rubbed his hand across the back of his neck.

"Sir I" Jack held up a finger "Aht! Not yet. Let me talk first." Jonas fell obligingly silent.

"Jonas, I'll be the first to admit that maybe I didn't give you the warmest welcome when I made you a part of SG-1. I had lost my best friend…again…and I don't do grief well. That wasn't fair to you. But I want you to know that even if Daniel were alive it would still take time for me to trust you. Today we've taken a big step in building that trust, because now I know that you will never break my most important rule."

Jonas looked at the Colonel baffled. "Which rule is that Sir?"

Jack finally faced Jonas full on. "Never leave a man behind Jonas. Never. Because I think I'm correct at this point when I say you would rather die than leave one of us behind…in the hands of the enemy."

Jonas swallowed hard and turned an interesting shade of green Jack noted. "How…how could you know?"

"Because Jonas, I know what happened to you!" Jack shouted, maybe a little more harshly than he intended.

Jonas leapt to his feet, swayed, and then gained his balance as anger replaced fear. "How…How could you possibly know! Did Dr. Fraiser" Jonas yelled back, giving as good as he got.

"Dr. Fraiser didn't tell me anything!" Jack bellowed back "I don't know exactly what happened to you, but I KNOW what happened to you, because…because it happened to me." Jack shook his head and said much more softly. "Jonas, those pictures you found…"

Jonas closed his eyes and willed the images away "No"

"Jonas those were pictures of me, a long, long time ago. Daniel was sent copies of those pictures out of my sealed file in an attempt to blackmail me three years ago. The issue has been taken care of, but I never got the pictures back from Daniel. To be totally honest I probably blocked from my mind that he had them, until I found them in your hands today. The state you were in. I knew." he shrugged his shoulders.

Jack walked away a few steps, whirled and faced the young man again. "Jonas, this is about trust, and I now know that you would never allow that to happen to a member of our team, or a member of the SGC as long as there is breath in your body. Because that's exactly how I feel about it."

Making eye contact with Jonas, Jack's eyes lost some of their hardness. "I also want you to know that same protection extends to you. We will never…I will NEVER leave a member of my team behind, because I KNOW what happens when you get left behind." His solemn brown eyes locked with Jonas' green ones and he willed the young man to understand.

Jonas stood quietly eyeing Jack, his head tilted to the side, contemplating everything that had happened. Jack wished he would say something, anything. Suddenly the kid's eyes hardened as he resolved a course of action in that brilliant mind of his.

"Sir, you said this is about trust. I guess I am correct in my assessment that I'm one of maybe a handful of people on this planet who have seen those photos?" Jack closed his eyes, swallowed hard, and nodded once.

"Then I suppose I'm one of the few people on the planet who have truly seen your level of resolve in this matter?" Jack blinked and nodded again, his mind not really understanding where the Kelownan was going with this twisted logic.

"Well, then I guess it's only fair that I show you my level of resolve." Jack could only stare at Jonas uncomprehendingly.

"Sir, I want you to know you will be the second person on the entire planet who…" Jonas stopped and took a deep breath, centering himself. "The other person is of course Dr. Fraiser." With that said Jonas began un-tucking his shirt, and had it halfway pulled off before Jack realized what he was doing. Jack's mind reeled, _had he ever seen the alien without a shirt on_? He didn't think so, not in training, not in the locker room, never. And now he had a strong suspicion as to why. He managed to whisper a strangled "Jonas no…" but it was too late.

Jonas stood in front of him shirtless, shivering, with his head bowed and eyes squeezed shut. Jack didn't want to look, but he couldn't help it. The Kelownan really only had three scars on his chest, but one of them…Jack gritted his teeth until his jaw hurt. How was the kid even alive with that one? The sinister part of his mind whispered _oh sure, the front's not so bad, but you of all people should know that it's rarely the front they focus on_. Jack blew out a calming breath and slowly began to circle the newest member of his team. He had to stop when he saw Jonas' back. Jack pressed his forearm hard against his mouth to keep from making a sound. His own memories of his time in captivity were right on the surface and he struggled to breathe as the sounds and smells of that place threatened to overwhelm his senses. Blinking hard, he willed the thoughts away. _Man I am going to have some nightmares tonight_ he sighed ruefully.

Jack truly didn't know how Jonas moved as easily as he did, the scar tissue alone should have impeded his range of motion considerably. The trained soldier in him was busy cataloguing, and it took a while as it seemed not an inch of the Kelownan's skin was spared. There were whip marks, knife cuts and burns, and those were just the scars he could readily identify. He closed his eyes. Enough. He had seen enough. He didn't even have to ask why or who. Jonas was from a planet that had been torn apart by war for generations. It was naïve of him to think that his kid had escaped that unscathed. _That's interesting_ he mused_, since when had Jonas become one of "His Kids?"_ He reached out slowly and put a hand on the Kelownan's trembling shoulder. Jonas' head whipped up and they shared a look that for the first time was complete faith in the other.

"Jonas" Jack rasped, hating how hoarse his voice sounded, but also knowing that Jonas would understand. "Put your shirt back on."

Jonas looked at him calculatingly, and then nodded with a small smile beginning to form at the corners of his mouth. "Yes Sir."

Jack walked to the edge of the clearing to give the alien a moment to get dressed and to collect himself. Hell, he needed a moment as well, who was he kidding. Jack sensed when Jonas joined him, whistling softly at the panorama of Colorado Springs stretching out below. "Very nice sir view Sir". Jonas hesitated, then said softly "Colonel, I just wanted to thank you for your help and…understanding back there."

He cuffed Jonas gently on the back of the neck. "It's what we do. We're a team." Jack decided they should stay outside and watch the sun set since well, it had been months since the poor alien had been allowed outside. He would have to talk to Hammond about that. As they stood in companionable silence, Jack felt some of the anger inside him ease and leave. He actually began to have hope, that with this brilliant kid they might have a chance against the Goa'uld, and that maybe Daniel was really out there somewhere, fighting the good fight.

The End.


End file.
